Aaron Judge: "For me, I want to win. I’ve come pretty close with the Yankees"

Aaron Judge and his family celebrated being crowned the American League MVP on Thursday night. Judge edged out Shohei Ohtani and Yordan Alvarez to win his first-ever MVP award. After a historic season, the power-hitting slugger was rewarded for his hard work with one of the most prestigious accolades in baseball.

It is rare for an MVP winner to fall into the free agency market, but Judge has played his cards perfectly. The San Francisco Giants, LA Dodgers and New York Mets are all rumored to be interested in signing the four-time All-Star. In a recent interview with MLB Network, Judge addressed what he would look for when selecting his next club:

“For me, I want to win. I’ve come pretty close with the Yankees"

Judge has a rare opportunity to pick his destination in the offseason. He is a 6-foot-7 outfielder who can hit, hit with power, defend, run and throw. He has proven that he can be a leader on and off the field. Every MLB team should be drooling at the thought of adding Judge to their roster.

"Judge: 'For me, I want to win. I’ve come pretty close with the Yankees. … My ultimate, most important thing is I want to be on a team with a winning culture and a commitment to winning. First and foremost, it’s a winning culture and a winning future.'" - Bryan Hoch

The MVP award rounds out a long list of achievements for the 30-year-old star from Linden, California. Judge is a four-time All-Star, three-time Silver Slugger Award winner and a Hank Aaron Award winner. He also won the Rookie of the Year Award in 2017. The only prize eluding the superstar is a coveted World Series ring.

Aaron Judge was announced as the 2022 AL MVP after a historic season with the New York Yankees

Aaron Judge reacts as he comes in from the outfield against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium.

The New York Yankees drafted Aaron Judge in 2013 with the 32nd overall pick. It is the only team he has played for during his seven-year MLB career.

The free agent will take his time and listen to all offers during the offseason. He has, however, made it clear that he will choose a team with a winning culture.

"We won’t forget Aaron Judge’s historic year any time soon" - MLB

The Yankees will hope that Judge returns to help the organization win their record 28th championship in 2023. If Judge is looking for championships, there is no better place than a city that prioritizes winning over everything else.